Electric meter system



Aug. 11, 1931. J. c. M DONALD ELECTRIC METER SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet lFiled May 15, 1930 INVENTQR.

mag. 1B, 1931 J. c. M DONALD ELECTRIC METER SYSTEM Filed May 15, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet 2 U WJE\ INVENTOR. jwfiw QTCJDMQ,

BY A g Y 0 ATTORfJEY Patented Aug. 11, 1931.

UNITED STATES PATENT 1 t JOHN- c. McDON ALD, "on 'NEW- YORK, NQYQASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF c GORBETT, on NEW YORK, N. Y. v

To EDWARD L. s;

ELECTRIC METER SYSTEM Application filed May. 15, 1930. Serial No.452,'38.1

My invention relates broadly to power distribution systems and moreparticularly to a meter circuit. for use vin power distribution systems.I '5 One of the objects'of my invention is to provide an automaticapparatus which may be connected with the usual watt hour meter in acustomers installation for automatically I determining the. consumptionof power for loads ofdifl'erent character. 7

7 Another object of my inventionis to provide an automatic apparatuswhich may be connected in circuit with the customers electric meter in apowerconsuming installation by which consumptionof power throughdifferent loads may be measuredwat rates determined by the time of dayat ,which the power or lighting load is consumed. A further object of myinvention is to provide an automatic apparatus which may be connected ina customersmeter' circuit and which will automatically register for thecustomer the current used for different characters of loadat the sametime enabling the '25 customer 'to enjoy reduced rates for the dif-'ferent characters of load, depending on the time of day at which thepower is consumed and depending upon the aggregate proportionsof thepower of different characteris- 80' tics." e

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the construction ofan automatic measuring apparatus for light and power loads as set forthmore particularly 85 in the specification hereinafter following byreference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which: V p I I Figure 1illustrates one form of meter circuit for a subscribers installation forinde- 40 pendently measuring the consumption of current for a lightingload or an industrial load; and Fig. 2 shows a modified measuringcircuit in whichan industrial load may housed in connection with thelighting load of subscriberscircuit for all times except a limitedperiod during the peak lighting load. y

' My invention is directed to a system for U measuringthe consumption ofpower wherein the subscriber may elect the rate which he must pay forthe use of power for lighting or industrial purposes; .Heretofore,public utility companies have provided sub scriber installations withseparate meters, one meter being employed for the lighting load andanother meter being employed for the industrial load. The rate chargedfor the powersupplied to the industrial load is considerably less thanthe rate charged for the lighting load. However in fixing such rates,public utility companies have "em; ployed time control mechanism at eachsubscribers circuit to preventthe use of power for the industrial loadexcept at given times for example between the. hours of 12 a. m. 85 and6 a. m. a subscriber may enj oy reduced rates for the industrial loadbut such reduced rates'are not in effect outside of such limited hoursand normally no service atthe industrial rate is obtainable except atthe prei'c scribed hours. Any power consumed for industrialpurposes'outside of the limited prescribed hours must'be paid for'at'the rate charged for the lighting load but even this is impracticalwith a completely wired system.

My invention contemplates a' customers installation formeasuring powerconsumed for industrial orlighting purposes at a slid ing scale of ratesa selection of such rates being entirely at the option of the customer.so by the amount of load which he consumes at difi erent times and bythe ratio of the loads, one with respect to theother. The" customersinstallation which I employ ineludes two meters, one forthe lightingload and another for an industrial load such' as the heating load.Ea'ch'meter maybe used independently at its regular ratef In my systemthis rate does notvary until both meters are used simultaneously. Thenthe resulting hour composite rate will be automatically determined bythe ratio of power consumption between the lighting load and theheatingload with respect to each other. For example, when only a lighting loadis,

employed the rate may be per kilowatt hour on the lighting circuit meterwhen only the heating. circuit meter is employed the rate may be forexample 3 91 per kilowatt hour on the heating circuit'meter. When thelight and heat are being consumed simultaneously the composite rate willbe enjoyed by the consumer, such as 5 per kilowatt hour for the over-allpower consumption. This rate may actually obtain during the peak loadwhen using both light and heat. As a further example, when using 20kilowatt for light and heat atthe peak load, the

revenue to the company will be $105, that is; if the proportions of thelighting load and the heating load are even the customer will pay 7c forlight and 3%.). for heat.

WVhen the proportions of consumption are not even the customer may forexample consume. 1 kilowatt for the lighting load at a rate of 7c and 19kilowatt for heating load, aggregating 66, making a total of 7 6 2. Thusit will be seen that if the consumer uses his heatload on the peak timehis rate for heat goes from 3%;6 to 5e, automatically,

and he is penalized to the extent of 32.

That is,.the greater the extent to which a customer consumes current forthe heating load during the peak lighting load, the higher his heat rateautomatically goes-and the greater becomes the revenue to the combe on apole or in a manhole is designated at 2. The incoming power lines extendfrom the secondary 3 of transformer 2 as indicated at 1' tofthe meter 5through the fuses and main switch designated at 6 and 7. The

meter 5 is included in the lighting load circuit designated at 8. Abranch circuit comprising conductors 9 extends from the customers sideof the main switch 7 to the independent meter 10 which is connected "inthe industrial'load circuit such as the heating circuit designated at11. I The rate fixing apparatus is connectedv between the independentmeter circuits. T1115 apparams is entirely automatic and functions topermit the meters to register the lighting or heatingload or powerconsumed, at any time throughoutthe twenty-four hours of theday, eachcharacter of load being registered upon its independent meter. Theapparatus includesa set of independent polyphase relays designated at 12and 14. The polyp'hase relays employed in the system" of my inventionare set forth in more detail in my Letters Patent No. 1,601.922. datedOctober 5,1926 and No. 1,019,080 dated March 1,

1927. relay; employed herein has been set forth in detail in my LettersPatent No. 1,753,383

.i dated April 9, 1930. Each-relayincludes One. application for thepolyphase.

independent polyphase windings. Relay 12 is shown having windings 12aand 12?), one winding of which is supplied with energy from the powerline 4 through transformer 15, the primary winding 16 of whichconstitutes a current coil disposed in one side of the powerline and thesecondary winding 17 of which connects to the synchronous motor 18 inseries with the winding 12a of polyphase relay1-12. -Motor. 18,.. isme;-.

gized or deenergized. When the ;wind-.

ings 12a .;and 12?) are energized, arma; ture 20 is moved to a positionclosing} the contacts 21.. ,Motor 18 ,will only be energized whentheQlightingj-load 8 isconsuming current for otherwise thereflwill be nocurrent flow in thesubsc'ribeids circuit of sufficient magnitude toenergize the poly} phase relay 12 and'operate. the motor gen'era, torset; 4 The closing of the, contacts 21 controls the energizationof the''s0lenoid 22 for as it will be noted by tracing the con} nections, theclosing of. contacts 21 by member 20 completes the circuit; throughsolenoid22 across the lighting. main. Any suitableform of relay may beactuated byfsole noid 22 but for purposes of explaining the principlesof my invention I have diagram matically illustrated an armature member23 whichis attracted bysolenoid 22 moving an insulated arm 2 1about asuitable bearing, pivot or spring, connection 25.. f/Gontact members 26,27 and 28, are .carri'ed by arm 24: and operate the-branch'contacts26(i,27d and 28a, respectively. The bridging of con? tacts 28a operatesto shunt the winding'29 which is inductively coupled with the cur-.

rent coil 30 of meter .10. This results in-th e speeding up of meter 10when ,a heating load is connected across the "circuit. ally 11 Thisspeeding up operates the change 'of rate of meter 10. This results inmeasuring. part of the load which would be ;lme asur by meter 5partially upon the meter 10. fThe fact that a heating; load'is. beingsupplied at 11 is a condition precedent to, the passage.

of current through meter 10 which results in a transferofcurrent throughthe current? transformer '31 to-the motor circuit '32 inseries with thewinding. .1401 of polyphase relay 14. The motor 32 drives generator-33energizing winding 14?) of polyphase relay; 14;. lVhen these windingsare both energized in. phase relationship. by virtue of the 'motor.generator connection there:-

with, the-.memberfikis,shifted-to close cona' This. resutsini'energizing" solenoid 36,;as;solenoid ;3(i;is connected-across thepower line whiehgsupplie's;.thsiheatingiload contacts 42 the meter 5becomes a half rate:

meter; {Therefbjr'ejit willibe at once obvious that it is to thecustomers advantage to consume current at the heating load 11, for to doso results in a better over all rate as meter 10 has been speeded upWhile meter 5 has been reduced in speed. The conductors which extend tothe lighting load 8 and to the heating load 11 are bonded one to anotherby reason of the connection from conductor 8a to contacts 26a, contactmember 26, conductor &5, contacts 39a, contact member 39 throughconductor 46 to the conductor 11a of the heating load circuit. At thesame time connection is completed from conductor 11b to conductor 47,contacts 40a, contact member 40 through conductor 48, contacts 27a,contact member 27 through conductor 49 to the side 8?) of the lightingload 8. The lighting load and heating load is thus connected in on themeter sides of both meters 5 and 10 resulting in a parallel connectionbetween the loads to both of the meters. The resultant rate thereforebe? comes the sum of one-half the rates of each of the meters when usedindependently. This composite rate continues so long as both the heatingand lighting loadsare used simultaneously. If the heating load isdropped off the lighting load rate is automatically restored to thenormal lighting rate. When the lighting load is dropped off the heatingload is automatically restored to the normal heating rate.

My invention provides means for automatically changing the normal meterrates when the lighting and heating loads are operated simultaneouslybut either of the nor- 5 mal rates is restored as soon as the lightingor heating load is dropped off. This service is available for eitherheat or light or other industrial loads at any hour of the twenty-fourhours of the day. 7

In Fig. 2 of the drawings I have shown a system of automatic polyphasecontrol of single phase heating current which may be supplied during thepeak load but measured at a higher rate than normal, such as the raterequired for lighting loads. The meter 5 in Fig; 2is shown;fors'measuringithel power consumed:by:;the: :li-ghtinglo ad 8r The meter10 measures mtlieauenergymonsumed .by the heat-ingyloa d 1 111;.'.:Themeter... 10.: registers atya specia l riate :the energy supplied:to; the 7 heating :lpaclim The lighting; load i8: controls the ..-heatiiig; meter :and ;the"-latter is. fcutziofi from service; at iapredetermined light. meter load-1 villheapoint: of cut-offsisrarbitra'ry. and

adj ustable; and l"it:lni1/y." zb so arranged"; that if;

low ;a small; aniountizofelightwand perhaps 1 tl 1e -;operatio"n of?appliances on --the flighting= circuit While the heating circuitx lisienen 2 3E g'iZed. rsHow-everi .w-hen the" peak lighting load; comes5-;011. .theisituatiom undergoes :a change; azidtherheat:meter.=-;load;,.1l is auto injatieally ;c1it: off from thehating-meter.-'10.f

Theautomatieioperation is accompaniedby; as

means i .ofi ;the Switch-.- 50,, the movement of which .iSzifiontrolle'd vbyg-tclosing;icoil '51 and lz ppif gsmihfii if; :Aphlyphase Ielayi of the type hereirflrbejt'ore,deseribeduhasbeen shownat 53 having windings 53m and 53bcontrol insa r-mova le icontactora 54;I he .rinotor generatorpfiet is illustrated asrhaningemotor-55;.Whieh;is renergizedifrom winding 1750f? the; current transformer16,: this circuit also.

nergizing, winding'ffi3a. of: the polyiphase are-. l

53 The;generatomfitiiwhich is driuen by motor 55?ellfirgizs;;winding:i53b1-:of ithe po yph se re ay: the cu'nren tsthrough? winding- 536; i being 909-; out, of phase with the.eurrentthrough-winding 553w. So, long as the lighting load ;i 's on,rthe current trans-1 former:-i indingt. 1,7. ,tis; energizedaand @theipolyphase relay armature; member..:5t";is; in? a, position closing setsof contacts 25am} thus neifsizinssthettr ppiris @0111 a a m s tainingthe switch 50, inopen I position malt i 12 ts mPDSSiblQi iQlenergizeithe: heating: load except. iilfOlH he. :Elightingcircuitthrough Switch; 575;;1:-Whenthere iszno" cur-.

rent beingidrawn bythe. lightin-gload 8 the is polyphase j windings areadeenergized;; andarmature. 54. moves to a .pos1t1on ;closing contacts"5%,; thus; energizing; the closing. coil? 51. and automatically.closingi switch .50 to that during peak lightingploads 3 the heatinaloal is no -e rgizedv The polyphase; relays employed appliqg cants systemare; effective to shift the arma-x ture member; when both;relayawindingsaare ill bass s? hat m ltip e; relay .-o.ir;

cuit of: Fig- 1 :the relays are only actuated certain preferredembodiments, I desire that it :be' understood that modifications may bemade and that no limitat ons upon my 1nven'tionsare-intendedother thanare imposed by the scope of theappended claims.-

; hat I claim as new {and desire, to secure" by Letters-Patent of'theUnited States is as follows: I 1

- 1'.'A=n electrical measuring system comprising a power distributioncircuit, separate: load circuits, electric meters interposed betweeneach offsaid loadjcireuits and said powcr'distribution circuit; andrelay devices connected witheach-of's'aid load circuits,

said relay devices operating to change the rate '1 of operation ofsaid-electric meters when said load circuits-"are energizedsimultaneouslyf" i 2. rAn= electrical measuring system comprisingaipowerdistributjion circuit, a plu 7 rality of load circuits, anelectric meter interposed between each of s'aid'load circuits and saidpower distribution circuit, a-polyphase relay-connected with each ofture.

cent load circuit when power is consumed by-all of said'load circuitssimultaneously for integrating the consumption of current onsaidelectric meters.

5. An electrical measuring system comprising a power distributingcircuit, a pluralityof load circuits, an electric meter individual-toeach of said load circuits, a polyphase relay connected with each ofsaid load circuits and contactors operated by said polyphase relays formodifying the rate of operation of said electric meters and bondingsaidload-circuits to said electric meters when current is consumedsimultaneously by all of'said load-circuits.

1 In testimony whereof I-aflix my signa- JOHN c. McDONALD.

said load circuits and circuits controlled byueach of said polyphaserelays for connecting saidload circuits "effectively in parallel withsaid electric meters while changing-,lthe'rate of operation of saidelectric meters: when' said load :circuits consume power-simultaneously.

"-F3ZAJ! electrical measuring system comprising a power distributioncircuit, a multiplicity of load circuits of 'difl'erent characteristics,an electric meter individual'to each of saidload circuits andconnected'with said powerdistribution circuit and polyphase means'controlled by the simultaneous consumptionof-powerin said load circuitsfor modifying therate of operation of said elecxtric. meters andeffectively connecting said loa'dl circuits in parallel with said metersorintegrating the consumption of current byzasaiid load cir'cuits.

4. An electrical measuring system comprising "a power distributioncircuit, a pluralityof load circuits of different characteristics, anelectric meter individual to each of said load circuits, pol phasemeans'connected with each of said load circuits and means controlled bythe poly'phase means in one load circuit for changing'the rate ofoperation otthe el'ectric meter in the 'adja'-'

